Mechanism for controlling hydraulic flow



Feb. 17, 1948. I J. KALIX 2,435,968

' MECHANISM FORMCQNTROLLING HYDRAULIC FLO-W Filed July 25, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 John Ken/ix Wow Feb. 17, 1948. J. KALIX MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC FLOW Filed July 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 17, 1948 MECHANISM-FOR CONTROL/LING: HYDRAULIC FLOW John Kalix, Dayton, Ohio Application. 1111: 25, 4, ialNo, 5453.61 on ol i s. (01, 137-139) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manuiactur ed and used by or for the Government for governmental purpos without pa m nt to rne Of any lqyalty theldli I Thisihyehtion. rel ;to. an improved control mechanism. or ope tin am d s' are a e emnh ar rssirldfia he flew. 6i Water throu h penstochs; mgte' ag em n it is directed t a,. improveclmt g or'aetuatin agate valve'oi the type islelo' n the applicants at t No, fififlgfiiirii i dpli .6 fa 97 One of thefobje cts Ioi "t nvention is toprovide a gate, valve oper'at w chanism which will eliminate disturbancess ohas vibration and emm rine 'ai sedbrv a adar-- ing'flow while thegatevalve is in mot on orT'in an intermediate stopped position Another object oithe'invention is taproilide a gatevalve operating 'nieoha' which is econornical in operation, t. in use, and winch is. not l i'ableto get'out ofirder.

' These and other objects the. inventi m Will be apparent. n a resear h f i e' q ing detailed d'e'script h n taken in conjunction with the a conipanying awings, in. which: F ur 1 s" an enlar ed fra mentary horizontal sectional view.ti-rro 1. a M tack I atev alve moi/ably rnountedfther nan ho n ine form af is "inclu ngl a recipa annderiror op rf va v y s a sectional view talgen ee h li me e n on line 2- -2 6i qy m u e? is a. re u ed deer, na rative view of the elements showni F re 4. sasi leaves a et erea w 1 f mai be} i i 9 91 5 t e i re i were 5 s a simila m mans'inol e a so tn" rma ii ta sei ihean e the pilot cock the aer te e balanc n weight 2 m 9 he. HIM-1996K;

re 15. nlarged detail ertic l se tion l -i through he. di hra m .swi e act at Ha em i ur '1 isasdia aainma isview ran e ct cal W921i? hayns dua ale eids e phas ed th eto.

relish tired for a tuatin th pi ot-cools;

Figured-is enlarsedvent cal sectional detail 7 torig re. 3 and drawings, a gate valve [to be operated by the improved mechanism indicated generally by A is positioned within a main conduit or penstock 2 for controlling the new of water therethrough. The penstocl:v Z is substantially Venturi-shaped being constructedbf an inlet sections including a flared upstream portion 4. and a seal section 5 includinga flared downstream portion 6. The flared portion lot. the inlet "section 3 is provided with a flange 'I by means or which it may be attached to the inlet. pipe '8. The opposite end oi the section 3 carries 'a bearing portion 9 arranged to be bolted to a similar bearing portion Hi on the inner end of the vsealsection 5 and the outer end of the seal 'sectioni has a flange H by means of which it may be attached to. the flange I2 on the outlet pipel3. Strengthening ribs l4 may be provided if'desire'd.

The gate valve lcarries seal members 15 preferably of the type disclosed in the applicant's Patent No. 2,302,695, which seal members lfrare adapted to abut against a portion 15 of reduced diameter on the sealsectioni for stopping the flow of water through the seal section and the gate valve l is provided with trunnions l1 and I'l rotatably mountedin the hearings I8 and !8', respectively, formed by the portions 9 and H) on the penstock 2. The trunnion I1 is made longer. than the m nion 111.1 and extends out through its bearing jI8,.w'1th.the outer; end of the trunnion l1. beinekeyed to p ston l moun ed to reciprocate in a cylinder. or pressure ch m r 20 mounted on the, stren thening ribs [4 of the penstock 2, by brackets 2|. The piston l9 consists of a hub 22 and two blades or in 23 an 23' and the cylinderylll is divided into comparte ts a and 24', 1 .10 by mea s o the blades 23 and 23' and partitions 25, said partitions 25 being mounted Qnthe cylinder 20 at their outer ends and irictionallr en a in the hub 22 of. the piston is t their irmerfeads. w h th blade 23 of tlie i ton workin n th summer 4 ments :4 and 24a itheeylinder .19. and the blade 23 working in the compartments 24' and 24'a of the cylinder as illustrated in Fig. 2. A cover 26 is mounted on the cylinder 29, which cover 26 has ports 21 and 21' therein, with the port 21 extending into the compartment 24 and the port 21' extending into the. compartment 24. The working compartments 24 and 24'a are interconnected in communication by means of a drilled hole 28 extending through the hub 22 of the piston 19 and trunnion l1 and the working compartments 24' and 24a are interconnected in communication with each other by means of a drilled hole 28'. One end of a conduit 29 is connected in communication with the port 21 in thecylinder cover 26 and leading into the compartment 24 of the cylinder 20, with the other end of the conduit 29 being connected in communication with the inlet penstock section 3 at the upstream side of the gate valve I and a conduit 30 is connected in communication with the port 21' in the cylinder cover 26, which port 21' leads into the compartment 24' of the cylinder 29, with the other end of conduit 30 being connected in communication with a conventional needle Valve 3|, which'in turn 'is connected to the penstock outlet pipe l3 at the downstream side of the gate valve l by a conduit 30'. The trunnion I 1 has a counterbalancing weight 32 mounted thereon, said counterbalancing weight 32 being adjustably mounted on the outer end of a shaft 33, which in turn is fixedly mounted at its inner end to a collar 34 secured to the trunnion l1 by screw 35.

Referring moreparticularly to Fig. 4, a pilotcock 36 mounted in a housing 31 may be provided on the gate valve operating mechanism A, said pilot-cock 36 being of the same construction as disclosed in applicants pending application Serial No. 528,544, filed March 29, 1944, entitled Sluice gate and operating mechanism therefor, and again shown in detail in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive,

in the present application. In this arrangement a conduit 38 is connected at one end in communication with a port 39 of the pilot-cock housing 31, with the other end of the conduit 38 being connected in communication with the port 21 in the cover 26 of the piston cylinder 20, while a conduit 49 connects the port'21' in the cylinder cover 26 in communication with a port 4| of the pilotcock housing 31. A conduit 42 is mounted at one end in a port 43 in the upper portion of the pilotcock housing 31, with the other end of the conduit 42 being connected in communication with the inlet section 3 of the penstock and a conduit 44 is mounted at one end in a port 45 in the end wall 46, Fig. 8, of the pilot-cock housing 31, with the other end of the conduit 44 being connected in communication with a conventional needle valve 41, which in turn is connected in communication with the outlet pipe l3 by a conduit 48.

' of the passage 49and the port and passage 53 are formed on the opposite side thereof. A passage 54 in the pilot-cock housing 31 leads from the port 43 to an intake port 55 provided in a valve chamber 56 formed on an end wall 51 of the housing 31, said intake port 55 being connected in com'munication'bymeans of a passage 58 with anannular channel 59 formed aroun pass through passage 58 to the annular channel 59 in the pilot-cock 36.

The valve 62 having a valve stem 63 thereon is adapted to be pressed into engagement with the intake port 54 against the action of a spring 64 for closing the passage 58 to prevent fluid under pressure from passing therethrough and permitting the fluid in the annular channel 59 of the pilot-cock 36 to be exhausted through a port 65. The valve stem 63 extends outwardly from the valve chamber 56 and is adapted to be controlled by a lever 66 for actuating valve 62 against the action of spring 64, said lever 66 being pivoted at 61 to a handle 68 for rotating the pilot-cock 36 in the housing 31.

The pilot-cock 36 may be remotely controlled, if desired, by the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 5, which apparatus comprises a water tank 69, a switch mechanism 18 and an electrical circuit 1| containing a solenoid 12. The water tank 69 is suitably mounted on a platform 13 and has a well 14 depending from the bottom thereof, said well 14 being connected in communication with the inlet pipe 3 of the penstock I by a pilot tube or conduit 15 and connected in communication with the switch mechanism 18 by a conduit 16.

The switch mechanism 19 illustrated in detail in Fig. 6 consists of, a housing 11 having an en'- larged cover 18 mounted thereon, which cover 18 is constructed of upper and lower sections 19 and 19', respectively, with the upper section 19 being domeshaped. A diaphragm is clamped between the sections 19and 19 of the cover 18, whereby an upper chamber 8| is provided in the switch housing cover 18, with the conduit 16 being connected in communication with the compartment 8|. The diaphragm 86 is provided with a disc 82 and to this is connected a member 83 by means of the screw 84. The member 83 has a circular flange 85 thereon spaced from the lower surface of the diaphragm 86 and adapted to contact with the upper end of the switch housing 11 against the action of a spring 86 in the housing 11, which spring 86 engages the member 83 at its upper end and abuts against a plate 81 at its lower end. A screw 88 is threadably mounted in the lower end of the switch housing 11, said screw 88 engages the plate 81 at its inner end for adjusting the tension of the spring 86. 'The member 83 carries an electrical contact 89 adapted to be moved into engagement with the contacts 96 for closing the electrical circuit H through conductors 9| having the battery 92 and the coil 93 for the solenoid 12 connected therein. The plunger 94 of the solenoid 12 is connected to the pilot-cock lever 66 by means of a rope or cable 95, which extends through an aperture 96 formed in the handle 68 of the pilot-cock 36 as shown in Fig. 8, whereby upon' a current passing through the circuit 1|, the solenoid coil 93 is energized and the plunger 94 is pulled inwardly thus actuating the lever 66 and moving the handle 68 for rotating the pilot-cock 36 in its housing 31 fora purpose which will hereinafter be described. Upon the solenoid 12 being deenergized the handle 59 is actuated in the reverse direction to operate the pilot-cock 36 to an inoperative position by means of a counterbalancing-weight 91 cated by the arrow, the water enters the conduit '48, passes through the needle valve 47 and enters the conduit 44, which conducts thewater to port 43 in the upper portion of the pilot-cock housing 31'. From the port 43 the water enters the passage 49 and from the passage 49 the water enters the conduit 30 leading to the compartment 24in the piston cylinder -20. The water under pressure also enters the conduit 42 which is connected in communication with the port 45 of the pilot-cock housing 3'! and from the port 45 the water enters the passage 53 and leaves by port from where it is conducted to the conduit 4 leading to the compartment 24' in the piston cylinder 20. The velocity of flow of the water'in the pen'stock 2 causes the water to enter the pilot tube I5 and to pass up to the tank 69 through the well I4 and upon a predetermined height of the water in the tank 69',-the pressure thereof is'sufiicient to cause the diaphragm 80 in the chamber I8 of the switch mechanism 10 to be depressed forcing the electrical contact 89 carried by the member 83 into engagement with'the-contacts 99, which completes the electrical circuit 1!, thus energizing the solenoid coil 93, which pulls inwardly on the plunger 94 and actuatesthe'pilot- .cock handle 68 by means of the rope 95 against the action of the weight 9'I'to-a position where the passages 49 and 53 of the pilot-cock 36 are moved out of communication with the conduits 138 and 40 leadingto the compartments 24' and 24,=,respectively, and causing the passages-49' and 53 of the pilot-cock to be connected in communication With the conduits 49 and 38', respectively,

. leading tothe compartments 24 and 24 whereby the water from the high pressure portion of the ,conduitentering the compartment 24' causes the piston I9 to be rotated ina' direction closing the gate valve I. Upon the gate valve I being closed the water in the well I4 and'tank 69 is caused-to flow back through the pilot tube'l'5 and empty into the 'penstock ,2, whereupon the water pressureis released from thediaphragm B0 of the switch mechanism I0 causing the electrical con- I tact 89 tobe moved out of engagement withthe electrical contacts .90, thustbreaking the electri- .eal circuit II-and deenergizing' the solenoid coil 93. Upon the solenoid coil .93 being deenergized theweight 91 pulls onthe rope 98 actuating the .lever 66 to release the pilot-cock 96 from its housing 31, permitting the handle 68 to be moved to its original position connecting the passage 49 of the ,pilot-cock in communication with the coniduit 38 leading to the compartment 24 and the passage-53 in communication-with the conduit 40 .leading to the compartment 24' of the" piston cylinder 20, whereby-the water pressure entering thecompartment 24 being greater than the water .pressure in compartment 24', the piston I9 is rotated in aidirectionfto openthe gate 'val-veI and .water under pressure again .enters thefpilot tube leading-to the well -"I4 of the tank 69. Upon .the water-in the tank 69 reaching a'certain level, the pressure thereof is" again adapted to press down onthediaphragm 80.:to complete: the elec- .trical circuit II, for nergizing-the solenoid coil {93,-to actuate the handle 68 and forv rotating the -'.pi-1ot-cock-to a position in which the conduits 42 and 44 are again connected in communication with-the compartments 24 and 24".

The lever 66 of the pilot-cock 36 may be actua .ted, to release the pilot-cock, from. its locked position in the pilot-cock housing 31 with the 'handle 68 rotating the pilot-cock in either direction by means of the dual solenoids I00 and I00 as illustrated in Fig. '7. By moving the doublethrow switch I06 toward either of the electrical contacts I03 or I03 an electrical circuit is completed through portions of the conductor I02. Upon the switch I 6 engaging the electrical contact I03, the electrical circuit is completed throug'h'the solenoid coil IOI and battery I04 to the switch, whereupon the plunger I08 of the solenoid I00 is pulled inwardly by means of the rope I09 actuating the lever 66 and the handle 68 to move the pilot-cock 36 to one position and upon throwing the switch I06 into engagement with the electrical contact I03, a circuit is completed through the solenoid coil IOI' and the battery I04 whereby the plunger I08 of the solenoid I00 is pulled inwardly by means 05 the rope I09 actuating the lever 66 and handle 68 to move the pilot-cock 36 to another position.

The inlet opening I l 2 of the Y-fitting III, Figs. 11 and 12, is adapted to be connected in communication with the outlet pipe I 3, which Y- fitting III may be employed in joining dual pipe lines where any one of the pipe lines may be closed 'tight by the valve H5 or both of the pipe lines left open without interrupting the flow of water therethrough. On the reverse flow the valve H5 is double acting. The valve I serves to close a feed pipe to a power plant or the like, with a quick closure of the water supply by passing the Water without change in velocity or quantity of the water from one pipe to another, whereby the destructive effects of hammering, surge, or burst of the pipe is eliminated. The valve I I5 is adapted to seat in the pocket I I4 when in an inoperative position. A spring held poppet valve (not shown) for admitting air into a feed pipe may be provided near the Y-fitting to destroy vacuum created by the quick closure of the valve. All of the features of the valve disclosed in applicant's above-mentioned Patent comprising certain features of construction and operation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made therein, if the changes do not depart from the spirit or scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is: I I 1.; A'device of the character described, comprising a main conduit having a restricted portion, a gate valve in and rotatably mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber divided into compartments, a rotary piston arranged within said chamber and operating in said compartments, said piston connected to actuate said gate valve to an open and closed position, an adjustable counterbalancing weight for said gate valve, said gate valve adapted to close under its own weight in still water against the action of said counterbalancing weight, and means including a manually actuated pilot-cock connecting a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion of the conduit in communication with said compartments of the chamber whereby said piston is actuated to operate the gate valve to automatically control the rate of flowthrough the conduit.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a main conduit having a restricted portion, a gate valve in and rotatably mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber divided into compartments, a rotary piston arranged within said chamber and operating in said compartments, said piston connected to actuate said gate valve to an open and closed position, an adjustable counterbalancing weight for said gate valve, said gate valve adapted to close under its own weight in still water against the action of said counterbalancing weight, means including a pilot-cock connecting a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion of the conduit in communication with said compartments of the chamber whereby said piston is actuated to operate said gate valve to automatically control the rate of flow through the conduit, automatically actuated means for remotely controlling the action of said pilot-cock.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a main conduit having a restricted portion, a gate in and rotatably mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber divided into compartments, a rotary piston arranged within said chamber and operating in said compartments, said piston connected to actuate said gate to open and closed positions, an adjustable counterbalancing weight for said gate, said gate adapted to close under its own weight in still water against the action of said counterbalancing weight, a manually actuated pilot-cock, conduits connecting the pilot-cock in communication with said compartments, conduits connecting a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion of the main conduit with said pilot-cock whereby said piston is actuated to operate the gate to automatically control the rate of flow through the main conduit, and a valve on the conduit connecting the high pressure portion of the main conduit to said pilot-cock, said valve adapted to control the pressure from said high pressure portion of the main conduit whereby the actuation of said gate may be regulated.

4. A device of the character described comprising a main conduit having a restricted portion, a gate valve in and rotatably mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber divided into compartments, a rotary piston arranged. within said chamber and operating in said compartments, said piston connected to actuate said gate valve to open and closed positions, an adjustable counterbalancing weight for said gate valve, said gate valve adapted to close under its own weight in still water against the action of said counterbalancing weight, means including a pilot-cock connecting a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion of the conduit in communication with said compartments of the chamber, whereby said piston is actuated to operate said gate valve to automatically control the rate of flow through the conduit, and automatically actuated means including a switch mechanism connected to remotely control the action of said pilot-cock.

5. A device of the character described comprising a main conduit having a restricted porments, said piston connected to actuate said gate valve to open and closed positions, an adjustable counterbalancing weight for said gate valve, said gate valve adapted to close under its own weight in still water against the action of said counterbalancing weight, means including a pilot-cock connecting a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion of the conduit in communication witli said compartments of the chamber, whereby said piston is actuated to operate said gate valve to automatically control the rate of flow through the conduit, and automatically actuated means for remotely controlling the action of said pilot-cock, said automatically actution, a gate valve in and rotatably mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber divided into compartments, a rotary piston arranged within said chamber and operating in said compartated means including a liquid container, a switch mechanism connected in communication with said liquid container, a solenoid connected to actuate said pilot-cock and connected to be actuated by said switch mechanism for actuating said pilot-cock.

6. A device of the character described comprising a Venturi-shaped main conduit having an inlet of least cross-section and an outlet of greatest cross-section, a gate valve operatively mounted in said conduit for controlling flow of water therethrough, said gate valve including trunnions mounted on said conduit, a pressure chamber, partitions provided within said chamber, a rotary piston including a hub and blades operatively arranged within said chamber and rotatably mounted on one of said gate trunnions for rotatably operating said gate valve to open and closed positions, said piston hub removably engaging said partitions, said partitions and piston hub dividing the pressure chamber into dual compartments and said piston blades dividing each of said dual compartments into other compartments, passages formed in said last-mentioned gate trunnion and said piston hub, one

of said passages connecting one of said compartments in communication with another compartment and another of said passages connecting a third compartment in communication with a fourth compartment, counterbalancing means for said gate valve, said counterbalancing means mounted on said last-mentioned gate trunnion, said gate valve adapted to close in still water against the action of the counterbalancin means, means connecting the outlet of greatest cross-section of the conduit in communication with one of said compartments to rotate said piston in one direction to actuate the gate valve to a closed position, and means connecting the inlet of least cross-section of the conduit in communication with another of said compartments to rotate the piston in another direction to actuate said gate valve to an open position.

JOHN KALIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Miner Sept. 5, 194A 

